Monday, January 29, 2007

I had forgotten that the SAG awards were last night (who really cares about the SAGs anyway?), but when I came across the red carpet pictures this morning, I was so impressed by many of the outfits that I scrambled to get a post together. It appears that actresses are taking these minor awards shows more seriously, from a fashion perspective (as they probably should; their pictures will be in the tabloids either way and they might as well look good), and a lot of younger actresses are making names for themselves based on their consistently good "performance" on the red carpet. And following a trend set earlier at the Golden Globes, some of the best dressed, best looking women at the event do not have "traditional" starlet bodies or looks, which is really great to see.

Here are my picks for best dressed actresses at the SAGs:

Katherine Heigl has looked incredible on every red carpet she's walked in the past year, but sometimes I think her dresses are so "old hollywood" that they look a little stiff and serious for a young actress. Luckily, she's changed up her look this time, wearing a *gorgeous* grecian-inspired reddish-orange silk chiffon gown that's summery and fresh and very pretty on her curvy frame. Unlike her co-star Ellen Pompeo (see below), she looks happy, healthy and confident, and it really comes through in this outfit.

J.Hud's done it again! While I don't love the color of this gown (it's a little drab, even for winter), the cut and material are perfect for Jennifer Hudson's ultra-curvy body. She (and her stylist) really know what flatters her body, and this gown does just that, with a deep v-neck that shows off her bust, while the stretchy, floor-length material is forgiving around her hips and thighs and helps her appear taller and leaner. I can't wait to see what she has in store for the Oscars next month.

Pregnancy does funny things to women (I don't know this personally, but it seems to be true on TV and in movies). In Jamie Pressley's case, getting knocked up coincided with getting a stylist, taking care of her skin and hair and giving up on the tacky outfits more befitting her hilariously trashy character on "My Name Is Earl." She's looked better than ever lately, and this dress is truly a stunner: soft, feminine and as flattering as they get.

Everyone loved America Ferrara's Golden Globes gown, but I actually like this one more. The deep green is so pretty against her skin and hair, and I think the style is more flattering on her body. The empire waist and pretty detailing on the straps soften the look and draw attention to her face and body from the chest up. The dress is simple, elegant and youthful, perfect for a rising star like America.

And on to the worst dressed ladies of the SAGs:

You know the saying, "she's so beautiful, she could wear a potato sack and still look good?" The ultra cute, talented and likable Rachel McAdams proves that phrase wrong, wearing a Jetsons styled potato sack in a color that makes her pale, beautiful skin look pasty and dull. Aside from showing off her legs, the shape does nothing for her body (it doesn't have a waist, a bad sign). She's gotten a lot of flack for her hair, which I thought was kind of fun and cute, but it's not something to wear to an awards show. Luckily, Rachel can only go up from here.

It's really sad that Ellen Pompeo looks better in scrubs on "Gray's Anatomy" than she does on the red carpet. Honestly, I think she resembles some kind of alien with her scarily tiny frame, facelift-inducing tight ponytail, gigantic hoops and a halter dress that seems to be tied with some semi-precious stone formation on loan from the Museum of Natural History. The neckline actually appears to weigh more than she does, which is a very bad sign.

Do you remember what Marcia Gay Harden looked like when she won the Oscar in 2001 for her incredible performance as Lee Krasner in Pollock? You can see the picture here. It's one of my favorite red carpet looks ever; she looked drop dead gorgeous, and she knew it. Unfortunately, the opposite is true in this photo. She looks sad, and it looks like her breasts feel the same way. With these weird cups, mid-calf length and heavy brocade, this dress does nothing to flatter her body, making her look wider and shorter than she actually is. I'd make a joke about the appropriateness of this look for the "SAG" awards, but I'd feel too mean.

Sienna Miller wore this Marchesa dress (a shorter version, in white) a couple months ago and was photographed about a million times in it. I didn't like it when she wore it, but hers was at least short and had a nice shape, whereas Anne Hathaway's version is too heavy, with too much fabric and layering emphasizing weird areas (to the point where Star Magazine could reasonably put her on "bump watch"). I don't really know what's going on with the skirt (shorter layers are wider than longer ones and it just looks kind of haphazardly constructed), but Anne's lack of jewelry and accessories and boring, tight bun do nothing to emphasize her natural beauty.

I love your Heigl-Pompeo comparison...so true! Just one look at the two of them makes a steady case for the voluptuous & gorgeous argument...Ellen Pompeo always does seem so miserable! You don't really notice how thin she is on Grey's, but in real life she's tough to look at...

Ellen was gorgeous! she has so much style! and this kind of dress is so in vouge in europe! she is different she doesn't use the same kind of dress every time she is original! congratulations Ellen you are gorgeous... as always!